


Never Let Me Go

by LisaBelco



Category: Ghost Whisperer
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Fluff, Spirit World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26409649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LisaBelco/pseuds/LisaBelco
Summary: Rick returns to Grandview but Melinda notices something's wrong with him. What happened to him on his sabbatical? What is he hiding and is Delia wrong about her claim that Rick Payne still loves Melinda. Okay I suck at summaries. Started watching Ghost Whisperer again and came up with this story. Rating may change in later chapters. Please review.
Relationships: Delia Banks/Tim Flaherty, Melinda Gordon/Rick Payne
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Never Let Me Go

Melinda Gordon smiled at another customer entered the door of ‘Same As It Never Was’ before returning her attention to the pile of receipts she was sorting through. It had been two years since Rick Payne had left for the Himalayan Mountains for some new important discovery and it had been a year since Jim had died. Of course he had tried to come back to her by jumping into Sam’s dead body and she was happy but when Sam’s body started to break down and die she had to convince Jim to cross over. Jim being the stubborn man he was refused to go to the light but after telling him she would be okay he had stood there and stared at her. It took her some time to convince him but he eventually crossed over into the light. Not long after that Melinda had found out she was three months pregnant and even though she was stressed over raising a baby on her own her Mother and Delia had been a great help. Hearing the customer bell ring again she looked up and seeing Delia enter the store carrying two take away cups from Village Java she smiled at her best friend.

Delia made her way to the checkout counter and handing Melinda a Latte she said “hi Mel how has your morning been so far?”

Melinda gratefully took the Latte and taking a sip she replied “it’s been quiet. Thanks for the Latte. I definitely need it after Aiden keeping me up half the night. He only sleeps peacefully if I stay at Rick’s house”.

Delia nodded her head slowly and taking off her coat she said “can you imagine Rick’s face if he suddenly arrived home on the night you used his house to get Aidan to have a full night’s sleep”.

Melinda giggled and nodding her head she said “his mouth would probably hit the floor in shock”. Taking another sip of her Latte she added “I really miss him Delia and worried that something bad has happened to him since he hasn’t written any letters”.

Delia gave her friend a side hug before saying “I’m sure he’s okay Mel. If something bad had happened to him he would have let you know. Now enough of these bad thoughts where is little Aiden so I can give him a snuggle”.

Melinda smiled and pointing behind her she replied “he’s in the play pen in the back playing with his toys or he could have fallen asleep but that’s unlikely”.

Delia rushed into the back of the shop and reaching into the play pen she picked up Aiden and gave him a hug before asking “hello Aiden how are you?”  
Aiden looked up at Delia before saying “De” followed by a few gibberish words.  
Delia giggled and placing him back in his play pen she watched for a few minutes as he went back to playing with his toys. Returning to the front of the shop she said to Melinda “so what’s it like staying in Rick’s house?”

Melinda smiled at her friend and shaking her head she replied “weird but since I agreed to help his sister look after Rick’s house it’s nice. Helps me deal with the rough nights and it keeps me busy on the weekends keeping it clean. I did help his sister Charlotte repaint the interior last weekend and she wanted to add curtains so no doubt Rick will be confused as to why his windows got curtains”.

Delia nodded her head and sipping her coffee she said “that’s nice. So what’s his sister like?”

“Charlotte’s nice. It’s hard to believe they’re related because they look completely different from each other. While Rick has blonde hair and blue eyes…”. At this statement Melinda gave a small smile which didn’t go unnoticed by Delia. “Charlotte has brown hair and brown eyes which she says she got from her Mother”.

“What does she do for a living or has she not told you yet?” asked Delia as she sorted through the mail.

“She’s a teacher of Modern Arts and is hoping her daughter will follow in her footsteps” replied Melinda as she finished sorting through the receipts and turning her attention to a customer who was placing a vase on the counter for purchase.

Delia smiled and returned her attention to the mail. Most of it was junk mail but there was a few bills and the last was a letter addressed to Delia Banks. Curious Delia opened the envelope and pulled the letter out and began to read it. Its contents surprised her and even made her smile. Taking out her phone she looked at it’s screen before turning to Melinda and said “hey Melinda Tim just messaged me and said you’d better get over to Rick Payne’s house as there is a problem”.

Melinda finished dealing with the customer and asked “why? Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know Mel but I’d go if I were you. Don’t worry about Aiden I’ll watch him” assured Delia as she turned her attention to another customer.

“Okay thanks Delia and I promise I’ll be back soon” said Melinda as she pulled on her coat and grabbing her keys she rushed out of the shop, climbed into her Land Rover and drove to Rick Payne’s house.  
*  
The drive to Rick’s house was worrisome as Melinda pondered what could have gone wrong with the house. Did someone break in or did something even worse happen? Pulling up outside the house she saw the front door open and climbing out of her Land Rover she walked up to the open front door and entered the house slowly anxious of who might have broken in. The foyer was empty so she walked into the living room and that’s when she spotted him. Feeling tears well up in her eyes she said “you came back”.

Rick Payne who had been unboxing some books he had brought back with him turned around and seeing Melinda he dropped the books and opening his arms he said “I promised didn’t I?”

Melinda walked into his arms and wrapped her own around his torso before sobbing into his chest. Feeling his arms close around her she whispered “I thought something had happened to you when you didn’t write”.

“I’m sorry. I should have written but truthfully I don’t know what I would have written about. Anyway you had Eli to help you with the ghosts” said Rick frowning as he rubbed her back.

Melinda snorted and pulling away from Rick to look up at him she said “Eli is great but it’s all crime officers he deals with and it can be stressful”.

Rick smiled at Melinda and letting go of her he said “it’s nice to be missed but just to let you know I thought Eli would be a good replacement until I got back. So tell me what has been happening with you since I’ve been gone?”

Melinda took a deep breath and sitting on the sofa she told Rick everything, about Jim being shot and how he jumped into Sam’s body. And when Sam’s body broke down she managed to convince to go into the light. Feeling him sit beside her she continued telling him about finding out she was three months pregnant with Aiden.

Rick listened and when Melinda was finished he said “I should have been here for you Melinda. You didn’t deserve to lose Jim like that”. 

Melinda hooked her arm with his and leaning her head against his shoulder she softly said “none of us could have known what was going to happen Rick and I’m just glad you’re back safe and sound”.

Rick nodded and shrugging his shoulders he said “six of us and only five shadows that day when we went to watch the tall ships come in. I thought it was going to be me who would die so I took myself away from Grandview so you wouldn’t have to face the knowledge of my death”.

Melinda pulled away from Rick and feeling fresh tears spill from her eyes she said “Rick don’t speak like that, your shadow was there on that day. Anyway tell me about your trip. Did you find anything interesting? Like a woman”

Rick laughed and said “I missed our banter. No there was no woman except for the one that fed us and she was old enough to be my Grandmother. Plus I don’t think the woman there would enjoy my humour like you do. So tell me about Aiden. Does he have your gift?”

Melinda shook her head and said “humour? Don’t you mean your remarks about my dresses and perfume?”

Rick cleared his throat uncomfortably and scratched his sleeve covered right forearm before saying “yeah sorry about that. So Aiden?”

Melinda smiled and standing up she replied “I think Aiden inherited my gift. He looks around him all the time. Delia says Toddlers normally do that but I don’t know if I can believe that. Do you want to meet him?”

Rick was thoughtful for a minute before nodding his head and standing up he said “okay let’s go”.  
Melinda smiled broadly and led him out to her vehicle deep in thought wondering why Rick was so quiet compared to his usual chatty self.


End file.
